


Cat's in the Cradle

by ItsNotYouItsMimi



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alya Could Kick My Goddamn Ass And I Would Be Grateful, F/F, F/M, Friends as kids AU, Gay, Kids AU, Teacher AU, but boy oh boy there will be, thats not really related to the story I just love alya, there actually isn't any ladrien yet, there is Gay, there will always be gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 01:12:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8947321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsNotYouItsMimi/pseuds/ItsNotYouItsMimi
Summary: Best friends as kids, playful rivals as adults, this AU chronicles the mishaps of Adrien and Marinette as they grow close, are separated as civilians, brought together as superheroes, and then torn apart.





	1. A Challenger Approaches

**Author's Note:**

> this au is literally so old I've had it for months but I'm lazy and I haven't gotten around to finishing it so. maybe this will help me get a motivation boost. or maybe it will stress me out and give me severe anxiety who knows
> 
> also just so you know: the first half takes place while they're 5, in past tense; the second takes place while they're 25, in present.
> 
> i really hope you all enjoy!!!!!!

Sabine tucked an unruly lock of hair vying for freedom back into Marinette's crisply tied pigtails. 

"Are you excited for the first day of kindergarten?"

"No," Marinette answered candidly. "I want to stay at the house with you."

"Well, we can't always get what we want," Tom reminded his daughter, planting a kiss on her neatly parted hair.

"I know. But I still don't want to go."

"You're going to love kindergarten," Sabine assured, stroking Marinette's back. "You'll make so many new friends, and learn so many new things-"

"I don't wanna talk about it anymore," Marinette announced. "Let's just go."

Sabine glanced to her husband, smiling with a hint of exasperation. One good thing about having a daughter as outspoken as Marinette was that they always knew exactly what she wanted or what bothered her.

Chubby, infantile hands grasped at the calloused and flour-coated hands of her parents. Sabine and Tom carefully ushered their daughter out the door and began walking her through the aisle-like streets, Marinette skipping along.

September 1st would become one of Marinette's favorite dates. She loved the brisk hints of winter that hid in pockets throughout the city. She yearned for the golden amber aesthetic that settled like a powder and coated everything in sight. She adored the music of leaves crunching rhythmically under her feet.

Snap, crack, squish. Snap, crack, squish. Snap, crack, squish.

She snap-crack-squished her way to the school in the wake of her parents, never missing a crunchy beat.

Marinette stared up at the banner strung above the door, emblazoned with a floral pink BIENVENUE AU PREMIER JOUR DE LA GRANDE SECTIONE DE MATERNELLE.

"Should we come in with you, or would you rather-"

"I want to go in by myself," Marinette decided assertively, and marched in. 

The building was cozily warm, the comforting heat reaching out in tendrils to her and wrapping her in an imaginary blanket. 

"You must be Marinette," a woman dressed in a red dress smiled. "My name's Madame Garcia."

Marinette blinked once. 

"You're going to be in my class, then. Why don't you go on in?"

Marinette still said nothing as she docilely obeyed and marched to the doorway.

She completed a full 180 scan of the classroom before she even thought about entering. Six tables arranged in a semicircle harbored ten children already, who were for the most part socializing with each other amicably. A desk which presumably belonged to Mme. Garcia was nestled crookedly in the corner. A jar of cookies and a vase of flowers occupied opposite corners of the desk. Looming bookshelves cast shadows onto the magenta-carpeted floor, stacked top to bottom with children's novels and learning-to-read books. World maps and French maps occupied the walls, along with cheery posters advising reading and such.

"You must be Adrien," Marinette heard a deep and masculine voice say from outside the door, and she twisted around immediately to see its owner.

In the opposing doorway from Mme. Garcia's classroom, a tall man with spiky slicked-back dark hair lounged against the doorframe.

"I'm M. Simon," he introduced himself.

Marinette's gaze lowered and settled on a boy who was about her height. His hair was bouncy and straw-colored, and when he shifted slightly towards Marinette, she saw his eyes.

She had never seen such a magnificent green.

"He's a little shy," a woman standing next to Adrien explained. "He's never been around this many children before."

"We'll make him feel right at home," M. Simon assured easily. "Come on in, pal."

Adrien clung to the woman's leg and glanced backwards, at-

At Marinette.

His viridescent eyes sparked.

"It'll be okay," the woman soothed. "I'll be right here to pick you up at the end of the day."

Adrien reluctantly released the leg and turned back to M. Simon. 

"Come on, kid. Let's meet your classmates." To the woman, he smiled and added, "Thanks for bringing him, Mme. Agreste. He'll have a great time.

"I have no doubt," she agreed in a tone that suggested a smile at her lips. "Goodbye, Adrichou!"

Adrien did nothing to acknowledge her words.

She tousled his head and strode, high heels clacking against the tile floor, out the building.

Marinette vaguely realized that she enjoyed the clacking of high heels almost as much she enjoyed the snap-crack-squish of autumn leaves.

"Marinette?"

Marinette blinked, and looked up at Mme. Garcia.

"Do you want to go inside the classroom?"

Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Maybe."

"Come on, dear. Let's go in."

Marinette turned around and inched into the classroom, choosing the seat farthest right at the tables.

Mme. Garcia began a cheery spiel, promising the disinterested children a year of possibilities and learning and friendship and fun, most of which Marinette ignored. She instead decided to spend her energies on thinking about the boy with emerald green eyes.

Adrien.

Her eyes darted over her classmates. 

Their eyes were not nearly as enrapturing Adrien's had been.

"... and I know you'll all do great in kindergarten! Now let's go around and say our names. You first, dear."

"I'm Marinette."

Mme. Garcia looked a little disappointed that Marinette wouldn't say anything else, but she moved on to the next student anyway, someone named Rose.

Marinette's eyes flickered lazily over her classmates again. Her cinematic imagination replayed Adrien's glance backwards to her over and over again, like a quickly-looping gif.

Her pigtails hurt, tugging at her scalp and aching. As nimbly as such uncoordinated fingers could be, they slipped under the ribbons binding her hair in place and pulled the bows out.

Her hair swished down, tickling her shoulders in blue-black tendrils.

She ran a hand through her hair absently. That felt so much better.

As Mme. Garcia's voice droned in the background, Marinette was lulled into contentment by the smothering warmth of the classroom. 

She was prepared to completely tune out everything until she grew aware of a small and moving thing in her periphery. Her eyes rolled to the left, watching a bug loop haphazardly through the air. 

It was a ladybug, or so it seemed, and it was flying into her eyes. She shut them reflexively, and upon feeling nothing on her eyelids she opened one eye, then the other. 

She felt a tickling sensation on the tip of her nose and crossed her eyes. 

"Hello," she whispered, so quietly that she was sure no one else had heard.

The ladybug crawled further up her face, as if to greet her back.

"Will you be my friend?"

No response. This did not surprise Marinette.

She brought a finger to the ladybug that was now on her cheek and nudged it onto her fingernail, watching it spiral around and around her chubby finger. 

She giggled softly, enjoying the sensation of so many legs coming into contact with her at once.

"I'm gonna name you Jeanne," Marinette decided, tilting her head to look at Jeanne better.

"...And now we're going to head to M. Plagg's class, to get acquainted with them," Mme. Garcia announced.

Marinette deposited Jeanne on the table. "Stay here," she whispered.

Jeanne circled aimlessly on the table, and Marinette smiled.

"There you go." She filed out the door with her classmates, stealing one glance back at Jeanne before she made her way into M. Simon's room.

The first thing she noticed in the classroom was a head of honey-golden locks.

The next: its owner.

Marinette's pupils contracted. 

She carefully stepped into the classroom, tiptoeing as if she were in danger of setting off a bomb, and stood against the wall, pressing herself into it.

"We're going to play a name game," M. Simon explained. "You say your name and we go around in a circle."

"But," Mme. Garcia added, "you also have to say everyone else's name before you. Who wants to go first?"

A girl with long dark hair that covered one eye raised her hand.

"Perfect, Juleka," Mme. Garcia encouraged. "Come, kids, form a circle."

Softly, so softly that Marinette barely heard her, Juleka said,

"I'm Juleka," 

and then shut her mouth so tightly it might as well have been sewn shut.

Marinette deduced that the child who went last would have to say the most names, so she deliberately chose a spot in the circle that was at the end and sat down.

As the kids chose their spots, Marinette was confident in her decision and excited to express her skill--

Until she felt someone sitting on her left side, which was the side that no one was supposed to be sitting on because she was supposed to be last.

She scowled as she faced her left, but the scowl was quickly wiped off her face as she realized who she had been scowling at.

Jade-colored eyes searched her.

She opened her mouth to inform Adrien that she was supposed to be last, but the game had started and she wanted to make sure she remembered everyone's name.

When it arrived at Marinette's turn, she rattled everyone off flawlessly and gave Adrien a "top THAT" look.

He took a deep breath and began reciting everyone's names just as Marinette had. Juleka, Max, Rose, Aimee, Kim, Chloe, Sabrina, Percy, Charlotte, Aurore, Celeste, Mireille, and Mari-

Adrien stopped and frowned. Marinette was supposed to be on his right. Where had she gone?

He whipped around and saw her smug grin occupying his left side. He stared at her in confusion, then slowly said, "And I'm Adrien."

Marinette took a huge breath and listed everyone at super speed, then stared Adrien right in the eyes.

"Adrien,

and I'm Marinette."

Mme. Garcia applauded. "Well done, Marinette. I'm impressed, that was really fast!"

"I know," Marinette replied proudly.

Adrien frowned again. He looked to Marinette and leaned in, asking her, "What did you do that for?"

"Do what?" she said innocently.

"Why did you leave your spot and go on my other side? Also, why did you say everyone's  
names again?"

"Because I'm supposed to go last, because I'm good at this, and also I'm the best," she explained matter-of-factly.

"I can be good at it too, can't I?"

"Yes, but not as good as me."

Adrien pulled a face that was almost an exact replica of :/ . "Well... does that mean no one's allowed to be better than you?"

"Yes."

"What if I become the best?"

"You won't."

"But what if?"

"Then I'll just have to beat you again."

"How about: I win at something and you don't get mad at me and try to beat me."

"That doesn't seem very likely."

Adrien crossed his arms. "Darn it, I want to be good at something."

"You can," Marinette assured. "Just not as good as me."

"I can be as good as you!"

"You can try."

"Then I will." Adrien stood up. "I will try, always and for the rest of the year, to be better than you at things, and I will probably be at some of them."

"If you say so," Marinette shrugged. 

"Come on, Marinette, let's go back to the classroom," Mme. Garcia persuaded.

"Okay." Marinette stood up too, looked Adrien directly in his eyes, and then followed Mme. Garcia out of M. Simon's classroom.

She gasped in delight upon her reentrance. Jeanne was still circling on the table!

She crouched so her eyes were level with Jeanne on the table. "Hey," she greeted in an undertone. "I'm back."

Jeanne turned to Marinette and climbed up onto her nose again.

Marinette giggled.

"You're my friend after all, aren't you," she speculated.

She stood up with Jeanne on her face and sat back in her chair. Jeanne crawled across Marinette's cheek and settled there like an odd face-paint decal.

Mme. Garcia paused in her explanation of snack rules. "Oh! Marinette, you have a ladybug on your face. Let me get that for you."

"No!" Marinette protested. "She's my friend and I love her!"

Mme. Garcia brushed Jeanne off Marinette's cheek carelessly. "There you go. I hope we won't have a ladybug problem in this room, I wouldn't want you all to be covered in bugs."

I would, Marinette thought to herself.

Her gaze settled on the window. Come to me, friends.

A speck of red landed on the windowpane and scuttled along.

Marinette smiled.

 

*************

 

Marinette has always had a certain affinity for fall.

Ever since she's been a child, the caramel-colored sunlight bathing everything and the chill yet sparkly vibe that the earth gave off has attracted her and persuaded her to choose autumn as her favorite season.

Her feelings haven't changed as she grew up; being Ladybug gives her a chance to enjoy early morning sunrise, and she basks in the feeling of being coated with peachy sunrises every chance she gets.

Today in particular; the sun is a nectar color and it casts red highlights in her hair.

Her kwami Tikki leans out of her classy red purse. "Don't you love mornings like these?" Tikki sighs blissfully.

"I was just thinking that," Marinette agrees.

She arrives at the front door and Tikki darts in, unlocking the door and causing it to swing open slightly. 

The door creaks as Marinette pushes it all the way open and steps inside. She's surprised by how nice the place looks; she had been prepared to do some cleaning, but the building seems to be in working condition.

She peers into what used to be Mme. Garcia's classroom. The auburn light of the 7 o'clock sun filters through dust-caked windows, washing the room in grey.

She flicks the lights on and grabs a broom from the closet, dancing as she clears the room tile-by-tile of dust. She hums a familiar tune as she sweeps, one she's heard on the radio.

One hour elapses of shoving books into bookcases, arranging desks, and generally making the classroom look spiffy, and just as her newly hung ladybug clock chimes 8, a man saunters in the door. Tikki gasps and dives into Marinette's purse.

His hair is a shining golden shade of blond, and he's wearing a black-and-green flannel jacket over a black shirt adorned with a simple kitty design. He's sporting a tie, patterned with little meowing cats. His jeans are faded grey, and he holds a coffee cup in one hand. The other just opened the door.

She wonders how his cat-framed glasses don't catch on his lustrous hair.

He notices Marinette and smiles. "Hey there! What's up?"

Marinette shrugs. "Just... decorating my classroom."

"Are you the new other teacher?" The man grins. "Welcome aboard! Your classroom looks great."

"Thanks," Marinette says, a little bewildered.

He turns the knob of M. Simon's old classroom. It looks drastically different, and it seems that whoever owns it likes cats just as much as M. Simon did. Many of the posters are cat-themed, as are a good number of supplies.

The coffee cup is set on the teacher's desk, a bag is flung next to it, and the man himself lands in the wheely chair. "Ahh, I missed this place."

"Is that... your classroom?" Marinette asks tentatively.

"You bet." He takes a swig from his coffee cup.

Marinette dares to venture inside, following his lead. She scans the classroom.

"I take it you're a cat lover," Marinette presumes.

"You got me." He finger guns. "Cats are the best."

Marinette shrugs. "They're okay."

"Okay?!" He abandons his finger guns and slams his palms on the desk. "Cats are way better than anything else in this mediocre world."

"Okay, what do you think of Chat Noir? Is he equally better than everything else in this mediocre world as cats are?"

He pauses. This time it's his turn to shrug as he says, "He's okay."

"Not as enthusiastic, I'm noticing." Marinette's eyes narrow as she smiles slyly. "Maybe you're Chat Noir and you just don't want to tell me."

She's joking, of course, but he grows oddly pale and when he speaks, his voice cracks. "Wh... what gives you that idea?"

Marinette giggles awkwardly. "I dunno, you have cat stuff hung up all over your room and you're wearing a cat tie." She strides in his classroom and places her elbows on his desk, fists in her cheeks. "Maybe I should call you Chat Noir."

"Uh... then I have to call you Ladybug, Mademoiselle," "Chat" decides.

Marinette's heart skips a beat, and she thinks she's dying for a minute until she looks at Chat Noir's expression and realizes he's joking too.

"Or-- Madame?"

She snorts, and picks up Chat's coffee mug. "Do I look old enough to be married to you?" 

"You look pretty enough."

Marinette promptly spits out the small sip of coffee she's taken and coughs.

The door opens and a mother holding a child's hand walks in. The child stares at the teachers at Chat's desk.

Chat clears his throat and, as quickly as possible without looking ridiculous, strides to meet the family.

"Heya!" he greets. "You must be Louise. "I'm your teacher--"

"You have a cat tie," Louise notices.

He looks down at the tie. "You're right, I absolutely do."

"I've been calling him Chat Noir," Marinette calls from Chat's desk.

"I will too," Louise decides. 

Chat chuckles awkwardly. "Well, you'll need to differentiate us somehow, though, right?"

"You're M. Chat Noir," Marinette suggests, "and he's just Chat Noir."

"Won't that be confusing?"

"If you tell me your name is anything else by this point, I will be shocked and disappointed," Marinette points out.

"I am condemned to this fate!" he groaned melodramatically. "A fate of being named after a superhero!"

"That's not so horrible," Marinette scoffs.

"Don't forget, if I have to be called M. Chat Noir, then you have to be Mlle. Ladybug."

Marinette rolls her eyes, but her lips twitch. "All right, fine. Whatever."

Louise has been content to watch the rapid banter play out, but now she chooses to tug on M. Chat Noir's rolled-up sleeves. "Can I go in the classroom now?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, of course." M. Chat smiles and leads Louise into the classroom. "Mademoiselle Ladybug, go get your own room."

"I have," Marinette replies.

"I mean, go in it. Unless you want to switch classrooms."

"But I like cats," Louise complains.

"There you go. Out." M. Chat makes a shooing gesture with his hand. 

Marinette reluctantly shoves off the desk and trudges back into the hallway, watching as the door opens and yields two twin boys. 

She remembers that she was supposed to have twins in her class, and consults her list.

"Henri and Olivier Clement?" she inquires, looking back and forth between the list and the boys.

They nod, grinning ear-to-ear.

"Welcome," she greets. "I'm--"

"She's Mademoiselle Ladybug!" M. Chat shouts from his room. "Don't try to get out of this, you promised!"

"Fine!" she calls back. To the boys, she says, "I'm Mlle. Ladybug."

"Cool!" Henri pipes, as Olivier drags him into the classroom.

Marinette and M. Chat wait by the doors to find their students, and once they're all sorted, M. Chat looks to Marinette and winks.

"You ready, Mademoiselle Coccinelle?"

"Ugh, don't call me that." She briefly winks back before she shuts her classroom door.

She takes her purse off her shoulder for Tikki's comfort, and places it on the floor. She leans back on her desk, and looks down at all her young and impressionable students.

She can't believe she used to be one of them.

"Okay, don't listen to Monsieur Chat Noir over in his room. My name isn't actually Ladybug, and I seriously doubt his is Chat Noir. My real name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng-" she writes it in an elegant script across the whiteboard "-but you can call me-"

"Ladybug," one child with a front tooth missing calls.

"Uh, interesting idea, but I was thinking something more along the lines of-"

"Ladybug!" another adds.

"Um-"

"La-dy-bug! La-dy-bug!" the children chant rhythmically, pounding their hands on the rug they sit on. 

"If you insist," she sighs, erasing her name from the whiteboard.

The children cheer.

"Okay, so I'm REALLY EXCITED to have you all as my students, especially since I've never taught kids before, but I know it'll be great and we'll all have fun, so, yeah." She clenches her hands tightly together. "First thing is to, uh, do names. Let's go in a circle and say our names, okay?"

The entirety of the lesson, Marinette can't stop flashing back to her first day of kindergarten, which she has miraculously remembered somehow. 

She was once a confused and disengaged five-year-old too.

"Hey! Ladybug!"

She blinks and looks down at the child addressing her. "Yes, Georges?"

"Are we going to Chat Noir's classroom?"

"I think his class is busy, and--"

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaase?" Georges begs, and pulls some quality Bambi eyes on her.

She exhales, a little worried that she'll never be able to say no to her students. "I'll see what I can do."

The children, of course, want to come with her. She leads a parade of kindergarteners right outside her co-worker's door.

The door swings open without warning and Marinette leaps backwards in order to avoid getting crushed.

"Woah there!" M. Chat clings to the door tightly, presumably to prevent doing any more damage. "I didn't know you all would be out here."

Marinette smiles nervously. "Sorry about that... my students wanted to see your classroom-"

"Ah, quelle coïncidence! Mine wanted to see yours. This right here, kids," he announces, addressing his students, "is what we call a dilemma. What do you think that means?"

Marinette snorts. "It's hardly a dilemma, just a coincidence, like you said."

"My name is Emma!" one of M. Chat's students pipes up. Her hair is a black to rival Marinette's and she seems to have borrowed her teacher's tie.

"It sure is," M. Chat agrees, and his eyes light up as he spots another student raise her hand. "Hey, Belle! What do you think 'dilemma' means?"

"It meanth a problem," Belle says, lisping severely.

"That's exactly right," M. Chat confirms, beaming like a proud parent. "Ladybug and I both want to switch classrooms! What do we do?"

"Have a class in the hallway!" one of Marinette's students shouts.

The kids all nod and murmur in agreement.

"So, Mademoiselle Coccinelle? Hallway class, yay or nay?"

Marinette shrugs. "Hallway it is." 

The excitable kindergarteners cheer and all prop themselves up against the walls. Marinette leans in to her co-worker and whispers,

"I have no idea what we're supposed to be doing."

He shrugs. "Me neither. But you know, these kids are so young, they're not going to care one way or the other."

Marinette is struck with a sudden idea and performs an impressive taxicab whistle to get her students' attention.

"We're gonna play a game, and- this part is important- my class is going to win," she explains.

M. Chat snorts. "As if."

"It's called Cat and Mouse, and I think we all know who are going to be the cats." She tosses a wink to M. Chat.

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"You seem like you would like enjoy a cat pun, no?"

"That was hardly a pun, Mademoiselle."

"Nevertheless..."

"How do we play?" a child called Hugo (from Marinette's class) pipes up.

"Well, everyone forms a circle except for two kids, one of whom is the cat and the other of whom is the mouse. The cat is on the outside of the circle, and the mouse is on the inside. The mouse always has to be moving, and can only be in the circle for 10 seconds. The cat has to try and tag the mouse. Everyone in the circle is trying to protect the mouse, and they can lift their arms up to make room for the mouse to leave or they can try and block the cat. The cat can only reach inside the circle."

M. Chat looks utterly perplexed, but the children all seem to have full comprehension.

"Okay, ready? Let's play!" Marinette cheers.

The children lock hands in a circle. Emma is chosen to be the first cat, and Hugo is the mouse. 

Before Marinette realizes it, the day is over and their classes are tied for cat/mouse points. 

M. Chat looks at the clock. "Would you look at that? The day's over already. And guess what, your class didn't win after all."

She sticks her tongue out at him. "Another day I'll cream you into the dirt."

He winks. "Whatever my Lady says."

Marinette shudders. "Don't call me that."

"You don't like any of my nicknames!" M. Chat accuses. "You don't like Mademoiselle Coccinelle (which is very clever by the way), you don't like My Lady-"

"Need I remind you, I didn't even want to be called Ladybug in the first place?" Marinette adds sweetly.

"Oh, whatever." M. Chat shoves himself off of the wall and opens the door for a bunch of parents waiting to pick up their kids.

As she and M. Chat mingle with the parents and guardians, telling them about their children's excellent behavior, she can't help but think; think about how, out of all possible names and people, M. Chat chose Ladybug for her. 

The odds are ridiculous. 

Maybe she's just overthinking it; she can't be the only woman in Paris who's been nicknamed Ladybug.

She mechanically sends her students on their way and returns to her classroom, wiping her brow.

"Nice first day?" a silvery voice questions behind her.

"I would hope so," she replies without turning around.

"Excited for the rest of the year?"

"Hmm... yes, but not because of you."

M. Chat gasps, pretending to be offended. "Mademoiselle!"

"I know that's the response you're looking for," she adds loftily, packing her things into the snazzy purse she owns, careful not to squish Tikki.

"I'm a-pawlled."

She groans. "Our relationship as co-workers is not going to end well if you pun like that."

"I thought you liked puns."

Marinette snaps her purse shut and strides confidently out her classroom, still not looking at M. Chat right outside the doorway. "Ehh." She finally looks back at him, and tries not to focus on his cute, glasses-framed face that is melting her resolve and badassery like butter.

Giving him a cocky smirk, she plants a customary farewell kiss on his cheek, purposely leaving a bright red stain. 

Heels clacking against tile, she slings her purse over her shoulder and leaves the building, heading south for her apartment.

 

 

As soon as she gets home, Marinette opens her purse and pulls Tikki out along with a few other items, like a sleeve of markers and a juice box. She downs the entirety of the juice box in one sip, throws it in the trash, kicks off her flaming red heels, and commands, "Tikki, transform me!"

She is nothing more than a flash of red darting between the rooftops, freer than a cricket released from under a glass.

Her red ribbons trail behind her, a ghostly red aftertaste.

She lands with grace on top of their meeting spot, the Trocadero. Chat Noir arrives within seconds, right on time.

"You look pensive today, My Lady."

"Pensive, huh?" Ladybug raises an eyebrow. "That's a rather fancy word for an alley cat."

Chat grins. "Just because I'm a night kitty, doesn't mean I'm not well-read. Actually," he adds, tail twitching, "my job requires me to have a good vocabulary."

Ladybug's eyebrow creeps higher. "Does it, now?" She tosses her hair ribbons so they land on her shoulder. "I'm not sure if I'm more surprised that you have a job that requires you to be scholarly, or that you have a job at all."

"My Lady!" Chat complains. "Give me a little credit. Besides, being a superhero doesn't pay the bills, does it?"

"I guess not, but I just kind of assumed you lived in your parents' basement or something." She smiles, awaiting Chat's snarky comment, but she seems to have touched a little too close to home. He is quiet.

After a long silence he says, "Let's just patrol, okay?"

"Did I... say something wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, it's fine, I guess. Come on, we don't want to miss an akuma." He crouches and jumps onto the top of the Trocadero without waiting to see if Ladybug will follow.

She frowns. Chat doesn't usually clam up like this; maybe he has living issues that he doesn't want to talk about?

Ladybug inhales. It isn't her job to pry. Right now, her job is to patrol the city and check for any signs of akuma activity or abnormality. She follows Chat's suit, leaping across he city and doing her best to scan for potential dangers.

After maybe a quarter hour, Chat stops his energized jumping and lands on a roof. Ladybug catches up quickly and joins him.

"What's up?"

He looks over. "Wh- oh, nothing."

"Chat..." She pokes his side. "We've known each other for twenty years. You can talk to me."

"About what?"

"What did I say that made you uncomfortable?"

"It's not your fault, My Lady."

"Chat," Ladybug persists. "Please tell me what I should've have said."

"Okay, but I thought you were all for confidentiality and-"

"Chat Noir!"

"Okay, okay!" He throws his paws up in defense. "I just-- my dad has always been kind of over-protective, and he actually made me live in his house for a really long time, much longer than I wanted. Actually, I was prepared to move out when I was eighteen, but he had other plans." Chat sighs, absentmindedly tracing patterns on the roof. "I've tried and tried and tried, but he just won't allow me to live anywhere on my own, even though I'm more than old enough and have my own job."

"Chat, I'm... I'm sorry," Ladybug murmured apologetically. "I shouldn't have said that."

"It's okay, you didn't know."

"Still..." Ladybug can't seem to finish her thought, but she assumes Chat Noir gets the  
gist. She stands up. "Ready to end patrol?"

"Actually, if it's not too much to ask, will you stay here with me for a little bit?"

She snorts. "Lying together on some stranger's roof for an indeterminate amount of time?"

"Uh... right." Ladybug can't quite tell in the dusky lighting, but it looks like Chat Noir's cheeks are tinged with pink. "Okay, well, do you have a different place in mind?"

"I do, actually. Follow me." Ladybug does a wicked sit-up as she springs to her feet and yo-yos her way to Marinette's flat.

"You who didn't want to lie on a stranger's roof, you're picking another stranger's roof to lie on instead?" Chat teases.

"Oh, the girl who lives here is hardly a stranger. I know her quite well, actually. She won't mind us borrowing her roof." Ladybug reclines comfortably on the roof.

After a moment's hesitation, Chat copies her and puts his hands behind his head.

"I feel like I don't tell you enough, but I really appreciate your friendship, My Lady."

"My friendship, huh?"

"Yeah, well... I tell you I love you all the time, but--"

"You do?"

"Well, if I don't, I think it all the time,"' he amends. "But I never appreciate how good of a friend you are to me. You'll always listen, you'll always make sure I'm doing okay, and it's just because you're a great friend." He shifts slightly towards Ladybug. "I just..." He opens his hand, then balls it back into a fist. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Ladybug says with a bit of a giggle. "I mean, I've known you this long; it would be awkward if we weren't at least good friends, you know?"

"I guess, but I appreciate it anyway." He gives her a fanged smile, one that is surprisingly heartwarming. "Thanks for laying here with me. I hope I didn't mess up your sleep schedule too much."

She shoves him playfully. "My sleep schedule was messed up long before now."

"Mine, too." Chat gazes absently out at the Parisian sky, which is blank in its lack of stars, but beautiful nonetheless. The clouds lazily edge past the moon, creating an ethereal milky swirl turning incessantly on itself.

Ladybug wonders if she'll be doing this with Chat forever; catching akumas, laying on rooftops, wondering his true identity. Maybe she'll be seventy and still a butt-kicking Ladybug, although she finds it doubtful.

She wonders if she'll ever know who Chat really is.

Does that bother her?

Sometimes she wishes that she knew his identity just so she can check up on him in real life, too, to make sure he's always doing okay, and if he isn't, to cheer him up. 

Beyond that... any reason she might have to want to know whose face lies behind his black mask and glossy green eyes could be boiled down to curiosity.

It's miraculous, how she's known him for a decade and still hasn't developed any feelings for him, while his feelings for her still burn just as strongly now as they did a decade ago. 

She's about to mention it aloud until she realizes her silly kitty has lapsed into sleep, chest rising and falling rhythmically and steadily.

She doesn't know where his house is. That'd be a direct violation of their confidentiality oath. 

She can't bring him inside her house, especially without asking, since he's never even been there. 

She has no choice but to let him stay on her roof.

She mimics his hands-behinds-head pose and exhales, watching the clouds shift and dissipate, form and change. 

"Good night, Chat Noir," she whispers, and closes her eyes.


	2. Read It And Weep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien engages in a reading competition, his spirit for rivalry too fired up, but Marinette beats him in his own game... more than once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS / חנוכה שמח!!!!! CHRISTMAS/HANUKKAH UPDATE BC WHY NOT
> 
> the first half is bad as usual bc i am the Worst but the second is ok i think .. idk?? i have no idea

Adrien had been excited to start school and find new friends, but now that this Marinette girl was here, he wasn't sure.

His father put heavy emphasis on being at the top of everything, be it schooling, modeling, or piano. Adrien, being only five, had found it rather ridiculous, but had complied anyway. He was used to trying his best, and he was used to succeeding.

Not this time around.

Marinette seemed dead set on being the MVP of the class, and Adrien would have to do work to measure up to her.

On the second day of school, he waited for her by Madame Garcia's classroom, giggling to himself. 

Marinette, sporting her usual bouncy pigtails, marched into the school about five minutes later. She kissed her parents good-bye and skipped merrily into Mme. Garcia's classroom, humming delightedly and hugging something tenderly to her chest.

"Halt!" Adrien cried and jabbed a finger right in front of Marinette's nose. Her azure eyes crossed.

"For what?" Marinette asked.

"I have a challenge for you," Adrien said smugly. "You want to be the best at everything so badly? Let's prove who's on top."

"Oh, that's easy," Marinette said dismissively. "We both know it's me."

Adrien's determined expression morphed into something more confused. "Wh-no. I mean-- that's not what I'm--" He groaned. "Never mind. I want to do a reading competition against you."

Marinette snorted. "One step ahead of you, pal." She shifted her arms to reveal a book entitled 'Julie et le jour joli.' "I'm going to be the best reader in the class."

Adrien regarded the book, then smiled. "Guess what? I already know how to read. My parents taught me." He dashed into M. Simon's class and snatched a random book off the shelf, turning to a random page as he sprinted back and reading rapidly. "'Alice avait une amie coccinelle. Elle s'appellait Ji-'"

"Oh, I could read that too," Marinette claimed aggressively, cheeks bright red. "In fact, I bet I could read it faster than you."

"Oh, yeah?" Adrien said angrily, cheeks also red. "It's a deal, then! We'll have a contest and whoever's the better reader is... uh... the better reader," he finished, trailing off. "I'll- I'll read four books by the end of the day, each more than six pages!"

"Fine! I'll read five books by the end of today. And they'll be more than seven pages!" Marinette announced, sticking her tongue out. 

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Adrien, class is about to start," M. Simon called lazily. 

Adrien gave Marinette a quality stink-eye and marched back to his classroom.

"Good luck!" Marinette called, snickering. You'll need it."

"You wish!"

Adrien slunk to his spot in M. Simon's classroom and snuck a book off the shelf, hiding it under the table as he pretended to be attentive to the teacher. Glancing down at the cover, he scrutinized the characters and read the title: "Bien joué, Maisie!"

He took a deep breath and opened the cover. 

"Adrien, I hope you're listening properly."

Adrien's eyes went wide as he quickly shut the book at sat upright.

"Of- of course I am, Monsieur."

M. Simon raised an eyebrow, but continued explaining how to tell time.

Adrien pressed his lips together and very carefully, almost surgically, turned the cover and looked at the first page. 

"Maisie-" 

A large, ring-decorated hand landed right in front of Adrien and smacked loudly against the desk that he sat behind.

Adrien slowly dropped the book in his lap and looked up at M. Simon.

"I'm confiscating the book, Adrien," he announced, and plucked the tome from out Adrien's hands. 

"But--"

M. Simon put a finger to his lips. "Let's focus on how to read a clock, not a book."

Adrien scowled but put his elbows on the desk and propped his face up in his hands.

As M. Simon's voice droned on, Adrien found himself less and less motivated to pay attention. Marinette needed to be shown who the boss was. Marinette deserved to be shown who the boss was. She was arrogant and considered herself to be the cream of the crop.

I'm the real cream here, Adrien thought to himself bitterly. 

Meadow-green eyes darted over the classroom. No words to read were imminent.

He'd just have to suffer the rest of the day.

And so as he waited, and suffered, and hoped with all his heart that the class would just be over, his vision was clouded by a mental image of Marinette. He could not stop thinking about her, it seemed, and he hated it.

Why is she occupying all my thoughts? he demanded of himself. Why is she so important? I hate her.

But as soon as the class was let out, the first thing he could think to do was bolt out and find Marinette.

She looked at him quizzically, and as he stood there not knowing what to do, the awkwardness only grew.

So Adrien did the only thing he could think of: he kissed her.

Marinette shrieked, very loudly, and dropped all her books as she wiped her face. "Adrien! Why would you DO that?"

"I didn't mean to--" he stammered. "I-I'm sorry--"

"What's going on here?" Mme. Garcia demanded.

"N-nothing!" Adrien insisted, and Marinette was too busy yelling to reply.

"Adrien, do I have to talk to your parents?"

"No, of course not!"

"Good," she said, clearly still suspicious, and walked away.

"You're the worst," Marinette accused. "I never want to see you again!"

"It was an accident! I didn't mean it!"

"Yes, you did!"

"Okay, but afterwards, I didn't!"

"That was afterwards!"

"Marinette, please, won't you forgive me?"

"I'll consider it," she sniffed. 

"Adrien, come here, lovey," his mother called, and he reluctantly toddled away from Marinette and towards his mother. 

"Did you have a nice day at school, Adrichou?"

"Mm-hm. Yeah."

He may have competed against Marinette in a reading skill, but what was the point if he couldn't even read his own feelings?

 

*******

 

Adrien wakes feeling unnaturally uncomfortable, back stiff and achy. He shifts uncomfortably and grumbles.

"Chat? Chat, wake up."

Confusion consumes him. Why is he being called Chat? And why isn't his alarm waking him up?

"Chat Noir!"

"Wh-" Chat's electric green eyes fly open, and his pupils contract as he stares into the aquamarine blue of his Lady's.

"Where--"

"You fell asleep on my-" Ladybug winces. "I mean, this person's roof. I didn't want to wake you since you seemed so tired, but I have to get ready for work and I didn't want to leave you alone."

"For work--" Chat rubs his sore head and sits up. "Oh, jeez, what time is it?"

"Around six thirty?"

Chat looks to the east. Sure enough, hints of cotton candy-flavored sunrise can be made out dancing around the horizon, a signal of the sun's appearance. 

"I, uh-- I gotta go-" He scrambles haphazardly to his feet and places his hands on Ladybug's shoulders for support.

"Thanks," he manages, and gives Ladybug the usual good-bye kiss on the cheek. Grabbing his baton, he leaps away and scampers, cat-like, back to his father's mansion, sure to zigzag a little bit so as to throw Ladybug off his trail. 

He's been doing this ever since he got his Miraculous, and is a veritable pro. Stealthy and quick, he slides into his room and detransforms.

"About time," Plagg groans. "You made me stay in the ring for ages! I was getting so cramped."

"Be quiet," Adrien orders, and tosses a spare wheel of Camembert to Plagg. The kwami swallows it whole without hesitation.

"Oh, man, oh, heck," he mutters, trying his best not to actually swear. "What will Mademoiselle Coccinelle think if I'm late to my own class?"

"You really seem to want to impress her," Plagg notes.

"Of course I do, for the sake of professionalism," Adrien replies, taking his dirty green-and-black flannel off and replacing it with a clean green-and-black flannel. "Second day of work, and late already? Her opinion of me would stoop lower than I'd ever be able to restore."

"Hate to break it to ya, kid, but I'm pretty sure she already considers you to be fairly low on the pyramid."

"Oh, shut up," Adrien pouts, jabbing a finger in Plagg's face. "Like you'd know."

"If your relationship with her is anything like it is between you and the real Ladybug, I think I would know."

"I never asked for your opinion, and an unfounded one at that," Adrien grumbles, sorting through his cat ties.

"Just making sure you don't get your hopes up too much."

Adrien pauses, and stands upright, facing Plagg as he ties his tie. "What do you mean?"

"You really seem to like her. Just wanted to let you know that she's probably never going to fall in love with you or anything."

Adrien's face promptly reddens. "Wh- I don't- I'm not in love with her!"

"Sure, pal." Plagg yawns. "You weren't so eager to please at any of your other jobs."

Adrien snorts. "Starbucks doesn't exactly set the bar too high. I wasn't there to impress anyone or do a really good job. I was there to serve coffee and mess with name labels."

"Whatever, dude." Plagg reclines on thin air. "Just making sure you don't go breaking your heart."

"Zip it, Elton John." Adrien inhales and punches the air. "Plagg, transform me!"

Slipping through the shadows so as not to be seen, he is silent and inconspicuous. He revels in the brisk fall air as it envelops his body, taking the least direct route in order to savor it more. He detransforms around the other side of the building and casually walks up to the front. 

Sauntering in as if he doesn't have a care in the world, he leans against the wall adjacent to his doorway and clicks his tongue, finger gunning. "Good morning, Mademoiselle. Sleep well?"

Mlle. Ladybug whirls around, startled. Her freckled face is pale until she recognizes Adrien. Her shoulders relax and her regular smile is tugged back onto her lips. "I slept... all right."

"You look tired," Adrien notes.

"So do you." She turns back to sorting miscellaneous crayon drawings of elephants. 

"You sure, babe? I-"

Mlle. Ladybug interrupts, dropping the oddly colored pachyderms. "Hold the phone. You're not calling me babe, especially not on our second day of work. Over the line, pal."

Adrien blushes, watching Mlle. Ladybug pick up the drawings and tastefully regarding her twisted bun instead of... other appendages. 

She straightens the papers by tapping them on the crate resting right inside the door of her classroom. "Anyways, I guess one could say that I didn't exactly sleep in ideal conditions last night."

"In what way?"

She rolls her eyes. "Oh, a friend passed out on my roof, so I stayed the night with him. Wasn't exactly comfortable."

"What kind of... friend?" Adrien can't bring himself to care about the roof, somehow. An ugly feeling is choking him through, rising in him and washing aside all proper judgement. 

"Hm?"

"What kind of friend? Do you know him well?"

"Oh, yes. I've known him for years and years. He's a real sweetie. Also a bit of a goof." Mlle. Ladybug tilts her head slightly. "Why do you ask?"

"No... no reason. Just curious." Adrien can't place a finger on why he hates this guy so much, someone Mlle. Ladybug has proclaimed to be "a sweetie." 

She lifts an eyebrow. "Okay, then." Sauntering up minimally to her colleague, she gives him a cocky red-painted smile. "So how about you? Why do you look like a risen zombie?"

"Long story."

"You're awfully shut-off, aren't you?" Mlle. Ladybug leans forward a little more, nose just inches away from Adrien's. "You don't have to tell me... but I just want to know-"

A loud BANG interrupts her sentence as a parent with no concept of how doors work closes aforementioned door, toting a small glossy-haired child. Adrien remembers her; this is Salina.

With a start, and for no reason in particular, Adrien realizes that the feeling eating at him is jealousy.

"Salina!" he greets her warmly. "Nice to see you again. Come on in."

She grins widely, revealing a missing tooth, and bounds into the class.

"Yesterday, my Salina told me she had lots of fun in your class, young man," Salina's mother informs Adrien, her voice wavery. "Thank you  
very much. Take care of my Salina."

"Will do, Madame," Adrien answers. 

She nods crisply and slams the door again on her way out. Adrien chews his lip as he leans against the wall, debating whether he should ask Ladybug the question he's been reciting mentally. He takes a deep breath and turns to her.

"Hey, uh... Mademoiselle, if you don't mind me asking, are you dating anyone at the moment?"

Her eyes go wide, the beautiful shimmering aqua irises shaking. "Wh- what?"

Adrien clears his throat uncomfortably. "I mean, uh, ha-" 

"Monsieur Chat, this is the second day of work. Try to be a little more discreet." She winks, putting a hand on the high-stacked crates.

"What do you mean, 'discreet?'"

"I mean, try and wait a week or something before you let me know you're into me. Don't want things to move too fast, you know?"

"Wh- I- that's not why I'm asking," Adrien says quickly, cheeks bright red. 

"You asked how I slept, you called me babe, you asked if I was single. That's not exactly casual workplace conversation. You seem like a really nice guy, if you don't mind me saying so, and I'd like to keep our relationship uncomplicated by romanticism."

"So you won't even give me a chance?"

"Not at the moment, no." She blinks, lips turning upwards ever so slightly. 

Adrien wonders if he maybe should have toned it down a notch.

"It's not because I think you came on too strong," she assures him, and for a moment Adrien is scared that she might be a mind reader of some kind. "It's because I'd like to focus on work at the moment, and also... I'm in a relationship."

"Well, you could have just said that to begin with," Adrien pointed out, doing his best not to sound salty. "But, uh, thanks for telling me. I'll keep out of your hair, Mademoiselle, at least in terms of romance." He adjusts his tie. "In terms of the workplace, I can't promise you as much."

The hint of a smirk gracing her face is now in full swing. "I'll keep that in mind. See you later, Monsieur."

"Of course, Mademoiselle. Thanks for talking to me."

"Any time." She gives him a cordial smile and retreats to her classroom.

Adrien does likewise and exhales upon entering the room. He can respect Mlle. Ladybug's boundaries and will do so, but he won't lie to himself that he isn't even a little heartbroken. 

Plagg had been right after all. 

 

As much as he loves his students and his job, his mind is constantly plagued all day by Mademoiselle Coccinelle. Every time he tries to focus on something he is blinded by a mental image of her dazzling smile, and for once he actually wishes the class were over.

And when it is, he makes it his business to find his Mademoiselle.

"Ah! Mademoiselle, glad I caught you. I just wanted to let you know, I-" His face goes slack as he realizes another woman is walking towards Mlle. Ladybug. He doesn't recognize her at all. 

"Monsieur Chat?" She twists to see what Adrien is looking at and her face lights up. "Babe, you're here!" 

She runs towards the woman and embraces her, giving her la bise passionately. "How was your day?"

"It was okay. Found a really crazy story for the news today, I'll have to tell you all about it and-" The woman notices Adrien and blinks. "Is this your colleague you were telling me about?"

"Oh, yes," Mlle. Ladybug chuckles nervously. "Alya, this is my co-worker, uh... Monsieur Chat Noir."

Alya raises an eyebrow. "That's an odd last name."

"It's not my real last name," Adrien jumps in hastily. "Mademoiselle Coccinelle over here has taken to calling me that; she doesn't know my actual name."

Alya glances from Mlle. Ladybug to Adrien. "So... I take it he doesn't know your name either?"

"Nope," Mlle. Ladybug confirms. "To him, I'm Mademoiselle Ladybug, and-" She pauses, then abruptly shakes her head. "What am I thinking? I haven't even introduced you. Monsieur Chat, this is my girlfriend Alya."

"Your girlfriend?" he repeats numbly.

"That's me," Alya agrees. "I have to say, Monsieur Chat, you're really lucky. You scored yourself an excellent co-worker."

"Oh, stop it."

"I mean it!"

"You're so cheesy."

As the girls bicker lovingly, Adrien can't help but feel like he's the opposite of lucky. He has so much and yet is so far from what he wants. Ladybug will be one of his best friends for most of his life and has always been there for him, but she has no interest in him whatsoever. Mlle. Ladybug is a fantastic colleague and leagues of fun, but she has a girlfriend. He keeps falling in love with someone he can't attain. 

He mentally scolds himself. He has plenty in life and he's not entitled to anyone's love, ever. He should be thankful for what he has. 

And he is.

So why doesn't he feel any better?

At least Mlle. Ladybug is happy. That's really the most important thing. He would never want her to be unhappy. 

"It was really nice meeting you, Alya," he interrupts them warmly, and extends a hand to her.

She looks down in surprise, then smiles and shakes his hand. "It was nice to meet you too. I'm glad Mar-"

"Alya!"

"I mean, Mlle. Ladybug has such a cool guy working with her. She says she loves work, and I have to give you some credit."

"Ah, well... the pleasure is mine, I love working with her too." He clasps his hand behind his back and bobs his head politely. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mademoiselle."

"Yes, see you then!" she calls, as she walks away and laces her fingers in Alya's. 

Adrien can't help but smile as they talk amiably and inaudibly to each other. He may wish that he had Alya's position, but he can't deny that Mlle. Ladybug is almost even more beautiful and adorable when she's with someone she loves. 

She seems to love Alya an awful lot.

He puts the thought aside and returns to the classroom to transform. Upon unzipping his bag, Plagg spirals out in glee. 

"I was ri-iiight!" he says, sing-song. "I warned you and you ignored me, and now you've gone and fell in love with a woman who's taken. If you'd just listened to me, you wouldn't-"

"I don't want to hear it, Plagg. Just transform me," Adrien orders sullenly.

Plagg shrugs and dives into the ring. Chat Noir manages to make it back into the mansion without anyone noticing.

He exhales loudly as his cat suit is shed from his body and turns to his kwami. "Plagg, do you think Mademoiselle Coccinelle loves me at all?"

Plagg shrugs, having just landed on Adrien's table. "I dunno, kid. She seems to think you're chill, I guess."

"'Chill' isn't good enough." He sighs desolately. "I don't want to be a homewrecker, and I really want her to be happy, which she is right now, but... I also really want her--"

"Yeah, I know. I can tell, kid. You're really head over heels for her, but you'll just have to let that one go."

"I know. And I am. I just hate that our relationship ended before it even started."

"You know how the saying goes." Plagg chomps on a catnip toy. "'You get what you get and you don't get upset.'"

"Right, yes, I know." He takes out a planner for tomorrow's lesson and begins jotting everything down. "As long as she's happy, it's okay."

"Mm-hm. Sure."

Adrien knows he can take comfort in that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alyanette 5ever

**Author's Note:**

> oh boy oh boy when will the next chapter be out?
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> who knows
> 
> comments and kudos are really appreciated!!


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